Inside a large warehouse located in south Boise, four men and a woman sat around a table drinking beer and playing poker.

They were a team of mercenaries, all former military. They were wearing tactical pants, combat boots and olive drab t-shirts. The team had recently been hired by a local man in the business of selling counterfeit high-end electronics to escort a shipment of knock-off phones he had brought in from Mexico. They’d done so successfully, and now were being paid to stay in the warehouse and guard the merchandise until their employer could get a crew in to package the phones for sale.

The team found the warehouse to be quite comfortable; It had plenty of room for their two trucks, their gear and cots. It had four rest rooms, and an office that the team’s leader, a man named Shaw, had commandeered for his personal use.

They had been there for several days, and were expecting their client to arrive the following morning with a crew to start preparing the phones so they could be sold, and more importantly so he could pay them the balance of their fee.

The team was fairly relaxed; they weren’t expecting trouble, and the doors were all secured, locked and set with trip wires.

None of which were an impediment to Bella Beguile.

“Well fuck, I’m out—again!” one of the men said, throwing his cards down in disgust.

“Didn’t see that coming Joey,” the woman at the table said with a snicker.

The others laughed.

“Fuck you Rachel. I am going to go take a leak,” Joey replied, casually giving the table the finger.

He rose and walked through the maze of empty crates, stacks of pallets and storage racks to use the rest room.

On his way back, he was startled when a woman dressed in a flamboyant blue-and-silver leather costume dropped from atop a crate to land in front of him; she wore knee high dark blue boots embossed with silver spirals on the sides, and wearing and a glittering silver mask covered most of her face.

Before Joey could cry out, the woman’s left hand shot out, punching him hard in the solar plexus and knocking the wind out of him.

He made a strangled gasp, unable to cry out for help; his companions could be heard yelling and laughing back at their table, the noise muffled as it traveled through the warehouse.

Bella Beguile quickly raised her right hand; she fluttered her fingers before his eyes, moving them rapidly from side to side.

“Just relax, the pain is temporary…follow my fingers, hear my voice…follow my fingers back and forth, just relax…relax and follow my fingers…” she said in a low, soothing voice.

Joey looked shocked and confused, still trying to speak.

“That’s it…feeling so relaxed…sleepy…eyelids heavy…and, SLEEP!” Bella said firmly.

She snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.

Joey’s head nodded and his eyes closing as he went under hypnosis.

Bella quickly began to whisper in his ear.

Ten minutes later, Joey rejoined the group with no memory of what had taken place.

The game went on another twenty minutes before another man, Anders, headed for the bathroom. After he finished, he stepped out of the bathroom…and crashed into the wall as a booted foot collided with his temple. Bella followed up with a knee to his groin, and a punch to his stomach. She quickly stuffed a blue rag into his mouth, then grabbed his arm and twisted it in an arm-lock, pulling his arm across her body and bending him over.

“Listen carefully to my voice… just relax and listen and I will let you go… relax and let go…relaxing deeper…deeper with every word I say…” Bella said in his ear, her soothing hypnotic voice quickly penetrating his mind.

Anders too returned to the table with no memory of being hypnotized by Bella Beguile.

The game continued, the mercenaries thoroughly enjoying themselves as they continued to drink and gamble. Eventually, Rachel headed over to the break room for beers.

Before she got there, Bella strode confidently from the shadows, blue eyes boring into Rachel’s brown ones.

“Look into my eyes…you cannot move, you cannot speak…you can only listen…” she said firmly.

Bella unleashed The Serpent’s Gaze, her paralyzing hypnotic stare.

Rachel’s voice caught in her throat as she tried to call out, managing only an unintelligible gasp.

Bella held her frozen, her ice-blue eyes turning to a darker cobalt and glowing just a bit.

“You cannot speak, you can only listen and relax..relaxing deeper…deeper…with every word I say…you are feeling sleepy…very sleepy…” Bella said firmly, continuing her induction.

The hypnotist put the woman under quickly. Rachel stood before her, eyes closed, head nodded and arms hanging limply at her sides.

Bella took a moment to rest; the Serpent’s Gaze was a very powerful technique, but it sapped Bella’s energy quickly and performing an induction while holding someone paralyzed even more so.

“Listen carefully my dear…” Bella began quietly and firmly.

Rachel returned to the table a few minutes later with beer, completely oblivious to having been hypnotized.

Joey got up to go to the restroom again, followed by Rachel.

Eventually, one of the men Bella had not yet hypnotized left the table and stepped outside to smoke. As he took his first drag, Bella materialized out of the shadows.

“What the fuck?” the man said, startled.

His eyes went immediately to Bella’s tits, visible through the sheer silver cutouts over each one.

“Just relax…I am here to entertain you…” Bella purred.

“Hold it right there!” the man said, pulling his Smith and Wesson M&P from its holster and pointing it at her.

“Oh there’s no need for that gun, dear. I am here for you. Here to show you my…assets…” Bella said, cupping her ample breasts and continuing to approach him slowly, hips swaying seductively as she walked.

“Just stop right there lady,” the man said.

His eyes swept the area around and behind Bella…then went back to her tits.

“That’s it, just look at my tits…I can tell you want to… just relax. Relax, and look at my tits…” Bella said.

She stopped moving, squeezing her tits together and lowered her hands, letting her them bounce.

“Get…get on your knees and put your hands on your head!” the man ordered.

Bella noted with satisfaction that his eyes were still on her tits as he spoke.

“Relaxing more and more…relaxing deeper as you continue to stare at my tits…wanting only to look at them and listen to my voice…you are feeling so content, so relaxed…staring at my big, beautiful tits…when I get them out, you are going to relax completely for me. You will relax, and go into a deep hypnotic sleep…” Bella said firmly, again cupping her breasts and letting go so that they bounced enticingly.

“You are crazy, lady! Get on the fucking ground now! Or I will put you on the ground!” the man said with a quivering voice.

He was confused by the spectacle of the costumed woman standing before him, talking about her admittedly nice tits.

He had to get her under control and go inside and report to his team leader.

“You are feeling so relaxed…as you continue to stare at my beautiful tits…you are so sleepy…I am going to show you my tits now, and you will sleep for me…get ready…you are so relaxed, so sleepy…look at my tits and SLEEP!” Bella said emphatically.

She unzipped the front of her costume quickly and opened it, fully revealing her large bare breasts, gleaming in the moonlight.

The man looked shocked…then his eyes slammed shut.

His arms fell to his sides, his pistol clattering onto the cement.

Bella smirked as she zipped her costume back up. She walked up to the hypnotized man.

“What is your name?” she asked quietly.

“Evans,” he murmured.

“Okay Evans, I want you to listen to me very carefully…” Bella began.

Evans rejoined the table, oblivious to his encounter with Bella Beguile’s lovely tits.

The game continued for several minutes; everyone at the table jumped at the sound of a female voice coming from the shadows very near where they sat.

“Well hello there; do you have room for one more?” Bella Beguile asked casually as she came sauntering out of the shadows.

“What the fuck? Who the fuck are you?” asked the only man who hadn’t left the table, a big, serious-looking middle aged man with a typical military buzzcut.

Bella knew his name was Mike from questioning the mercenaries she had hypnotized. He was the second in command after Shaw, who was in the office.

The five all rose, pulling out pistols and pointing them at the intruder.

“You may call me Bella. Bella Beguile,” she replied calmly.

“Well Bella, I am afraid you walked into the wrong building. Down on your knees, hands behind your head!” Mike ordered.

Bella smiled.

“Joey, Anders, Evans and Rachel you will point your guns at Mike. Now,” she ordered casually.

“Fuck you!” Joey spat.

“Wow, she’s crazy. Wait…what…what the hell…?” Rachel said, suddenly alarmed.

She found herself shifting her aim, quite against her will, and pointing her weapon at Mike.

All four mercenaries did as Bella commanded, her post-hypnotic suggestions making them obey, stunned looks on their faces.

“What the hell are you doing, point those weapons at the intruder, soldiers!” Mike said, glancing at Rachel.

“I-I can’t!” She said, panic in her voice.

“Your friends are in my power; they will do anything I command them to, including shoot you. I suggest you surrender. You put your gun on the floor or I’ll command them to shoot you,” Bella said calmly.

“Fuck you bitch! You soldiers better get ahold of yourselves and shift those weapons, or I’ll shove them up your asses!” Mike snarled.

“What a lovely idea; Joey, drop your pants and shove your pistol up your own ass,” Bella ordered.

“Go to hell bitch…I…I…fuck!” Joey said.

He started undoing his belt, suddenly looking panicked.

“Joey!” Mike barked.

“I…I can’t stop! It’s like she’s inside my head!” Joey said, lowering his pants.

His companions watched, horrified as he obeyed Bella’s command.

“Mike, put your gun down or die,” Bella said firmly.

Mike glanced at the groaning Joey.

“Fine,” he growled, placing it on the floor.

“Kick it far away,” Bella said.

The gun slid away as Mike kicked it.

“Now what?” He spat.

“Just be patient Mike. The rest of you, unload your weapons and drop them,” Bella ordered.

The four hypnotized mercenaries obeyed.

“Rachel, you are a chicken; act like one. Anders, you are a stone statue, you cannot move a muscle or speak. Evans, you are a dainty ballerina; dance for me. Joey, bend over and model your new anal accessory and don’t move or speak,” Bella commanded.

The four hypnotized mercenaries obeyed her commands.

“Cunt” Mike spat.

“Would you like to have a go at me?” Bella asked sweetly.

She could’ve waited until Mike went to the bathroom and had them all hypnotized, but in truth she was looking for the satisfaction of beating someone in a fight.

“Gladly,” Mike said, advancing on her.

The fight was short and brutal; Bella was a black belt in three martial arts; Mike a well-trainer killer. She took several savage punches to her ribs and another to the side of her head, but blocked or dodged several others. Bella quickly and smoothly counter-attacked, and Mike took a knee to the groin, kicks to the stomach and head, an elbow to the temple, and finally a spinning kick to the the face that dropped him.

Bella let him stand up.

He smiled and wiped blood from his mouth.

“Not bad. Round two?” he snarled.

“I would be delighted,” Bella said, getting in a ready stance.

Mike pulled a knife from his boot and attacked; Bella dodged his swipes and thrusts, then grabbed his arm and twisted it, forcing him to drop the knife. Mike viciously punched her in the side, and they separated.

They came together again, Bella blocking and dodging Mike’s blows and countering with swift kicks and punches. Mike ducked a spinning kick and threw a punch at Bella’s stomach.

She swiftly turned and Mike punched her hip instead, breaking his hand.

He howled in pain; Bella hit him in the face with a left jab, then two rapid punches to his stomach before sweeping his feet and dropping him to the hard floor.

Bella stood over him as he lay groaning, her pocket watch in her hand and a smile on her face. She leaned down and punched him hard in his face, then grabbed his hair and dangled the shiny golden watch before his eyes.

Ten minutes later all five mercenaries were naked, kneeling side by side with blank looks on their faces. Joey’s gun was still in his ass.

“ You men do not move or speak until I command you to. Rachel, follow me,” Bella said firmly.

“Yes Mistress,” they all said in unison.

Smiling, the hypnotist went to find Shaw, Rachel following obediently.

Shaw sat in the warehouse office, going over potential scenarios for his next job, oblivious to Bella’s arrival.

There was a quiet knock at the office door.

“Enter,” Shaw said without looking up from his laptop screen.

The door opened, and Rachel sauntered in, her blonde hair down; she wore only a green poncho and combat boots.

“Hey Samuel, how about we blow off some steam before bed?” She said with a grin.

“I thought ‘last time was the last time’. None of the others do it for you?” Shaw said, leaning back in his chair.

“Guess not,” Rachel said, letting the poncho fall to reveal her bikini-model naked body.

“Well don’t just stand there,” Shaw said, standing undoing his belt.

Five minutes later he was naked and sitting in a folding chair, Rachel riding his cock and moaning.

Shaw didn’t notice the door open and Bella walk silently into the room.

“Mmm…yes…go…go Rachel!” He grunted loudly.

When he appeared about to cum, Bella moved swiftly, grabbing his head and turning his head so he was facing her.

“Look into my eyes and…SLEEP!” She said in a commanding voice.

Bella snapped her fingers beside his head.

Her dazzling ice-blue eyes bored into his darker blue ones; Shaw gasped in shock, and her surprise induction overwhelmed him, sending him into a trance at the same time Rachel made him cum.

Shaw awoke a short time later; he was still naked, now chained to the chair. Bella stood before him, arms folded. Rachel was on her hands and knees, still naked, licking Bella’s boots.

“Okay…and who are you?” Shaw asked coolly.

“I’m your new Mistress. You and your men stole from my employer, and I am taking their property back for them,” Bella explained.

“Of course; you’re a hypnotist,” Shaw said calmly.

“You don’t seem surprised,” Bella said.

“I have been around for awhile. You aren’t the first mercenary hypnotist I have met, although you are definitely the most theatrical,” Shaw replied.

“Oh really? You will tell me who the other hypnotist you met was,” Bella commanded.

“Her name is Gillian. Irish woman, gorgeous and powerful,” Shaw replied.

“Thank you,” Bella replied, filing the name away in her mind for later.

“No problem. I don’t suppose it will buy me any leniency with you?” Shaw asked, grinning.

Bella found she liked the handsome mercenary. He looked to be in his late thirties, very fit with short black hair.

“Unfortunately for you, no,” Bella replied with a pout.

“Well then, how about the fact that we didn’t steal anything? I am hypnotized, so I can’t lie, right?” Shaw said pleasantly.

Bella looked thoughtful; she could indeed compel him to tell the truth.

“That does interest me a tad…but first I’m going to have some fun with you,” Bella said, looking him over.

Shaw flushed as his cock began to slowly stiffen.

“Go ahead. Obviously I can’t do anything about it,” he said calmly.

“That’s true, you can’t. It is refreshing that you aren’t begging or being defiant. In fact, I would say you are okay with it,” Bella said, smiling.

She snapped her fingers and the chains vanished, an illusion created by a post-hypnotic suggestion.

“Rachel, stop licking and kneel. Shaw, you want me… You are very aroused…so very horny….but you cannot cum without my permission,” Bella said as she unzipped her costume.

Shaw’s cock instantly grew rock hard as her arousal suggestion took effect, and got harder when she revealed her glorious naked body.

“At least you’re well-endowed,” Bella said with satisfaction.

Grinning and wearing only her mask, the hypnotist mounted him.

Bella rode Shaw roughly, having several orgasms.

Shaw grunted with pleasure, unable to cum as Bella moaned and screamed. When she’d finally satisfied herself, Bella stood and stepped back.

“Damn that was good! You deserve a reward, my pet. Rachel, you will suck Shaw’s cock until he cums, and swallow every bit,” she commanded.

“Yes Mistress,” Rachel said.

“Shaw, you may cum when you are ready,” Bella told him casually.

Rachel immediately took him in and got to work, head bobbing rapidly.

Three minutes later Shaw shot his load in her mouth. Bella watched them, smirking as she got dressed.

“Well…this isn’t so bad…” Shaw chuckled.

Bella smiled.

“Sleep,” She said, snapping her fingers.

Shaw and Rachel both went under.

Bella pulled a cell phone from her boot and dialed.

“Hello Megan. The job is complete. You may come to the warehouse at your leisure. See you soon, then. Goodbye,” she said.

Bella disconnected the call and dropped the phone to the floor and stomped on it.

“Alright Shaw, let’s have a little chat, shall we?” Bella said to the naked, entranced mercenary.

Thirty minutes later, Bella stood casually in front of one of the warehouse’s loading docks. The door was open behind her.

She watched as a large black SUV pulled up and stopped.

Megan stepped out, along with four serious looking men in suits.

“Hello Bella. Are you alright?” Megan asked.

“I am wonderful, thank you. The warehouse is secure. The mercenaries are all upstairs, hypnotized. They will not remember a thing,” Bella replied.

“And the merchandise?” Megan asked.

“It is all there,” The mercenary hypnotist replied.

“Fantastic! Thank you so much. We can take things from here. I have the cash portion of your fee in the back of the truck,” Megan said, obviously pleased.

She motioned to one of her men, and he retrieved a large black duffel bag from the back of the truck, bringing it to Bella. He set it at her feet and stepped back.

Bella didn’t move.

“Actually Megan, if you will indulge me…I was wondering, if there mercenaries stole this merchandise from you, why would they just sit on it here in town? They should have moved it right away. But it looks like it has been here for a while,” Bella said casually.

“Yes, it is fortunate for us they didn’t move it before we could hire you. In any case, if you would like to count your fee…” Megan said, a touch of impatience in her voice.

Bella smiled. She turned and casually walked away a bit, hands on her hips.

“I’m sure it is all there. There is another thing bothering me… Shaw, the captain of the mercenaries claimed that they didn’t steal anything from you. In fact, they were hired to guard the shipment for someone else…you see Megan, you forgot something. I hypnotized them, and they couldn’t lie to me—“ Bella began thoughtfully.

She grunted in pain as Megan smoothly drew a suppressed nine-millimeter pistol from her jacket and fired a shot into the center of Bella’s back.

The costumed hypnotist collapsed.

Megan had been planning to shoot Bella in the head when she bent over to check the bag; however, the hypnotist was obviously on to her so she improvised.

“Grab her body; we need to get her inside, kill the people she hypnotized and arrange things to look like she was in on the theft,” Megan said.

Two of Megan’s men approached Bella. One of them rolled her over.

The hypnotist’s eyes opened; she punched one of them in the throat, causing him to stumble back gasping. She head-butted the other one in the face and jumped to her feet, taking off at a dead run into the darkened warehouse.

“Fuck! Shoot the bitch!” Megan bellowed.

The two men who Bella hadn’t struck raised their pistols and began to fire.

“After her! Kill her, and bring her body to me,” Megan said.

All four of her men entered the warehouse, pistols drawn. Two pulled out flashlights.

Bella ran swiftly through the dimly lit warehouse, moving gracefully around pallets loaded with boxes and darting down aisles of tall shelves. The men pursuing her were having difficult keeping up, and quickly lost the costume-clad woman in the shadows.

“Fuck! She’s gone” one of them said to his three companions as they stopped at an intersection of four aisles.

They were breathing heavily. Each of them carried a pistol; the two who held flashlights moved them around, checking between crates and on top of pallets. a

“I’m pretty sure I hit her,” one of the men said.

“You did, Randy,” another replied.

He shined his light on a small dark red splash of blood on the floor.

“Okay, split up. The boss said the bitch in the mask dies; Randy, you and Zack go left. Axel, you’re with me,” the leader said, continuing forward.

The men separated into pairs and made their way carefully among shelves and racks full of car parts and accessories.

Bella touched her upper left arm and winced; her costume was wet with blood where a bullet had grazed her arm beneath one of the sheer silvery panels. Her back ached as well, from where Megan’s bullet had struck her. Fortunately, the leather portions of her costume were reinforced with kevlar and the bullet hadn’t penetrated, though it would leave a massive bruise. Closing her eyes, she gave herself hypnotic suggestions to dull the pain. She remained silent and still as Zack and Randy approached, noisy to her ears despite their efforts at stealth.

Bella was hidden, crouched in the shadows between two pallets; the two men walked right past her, the light from the flashlight sweeping just over her head.

Bella stepped carefully out her hiding spot, her flat boots barely making a whisper of noise; she quietly followed the two men, like a cobalt shadow.

“I should’ve listened to you Jen,” Bella thought as she followed Randy and Zack for a minute, waiting for her chance.

It arrived when Randy paused to look carefully around a large pallet, taking the flashlight from Zack. As soon as Randy disappeared from view, Bella sprang forward, putting her left hand over Zack’s mouth and punching him hard in the kidneys three times. She grabbed his arm and spun him around to face her, dislocating his shoulder. He let out a gasping cry of pain, just before Bella’s knee came up and hit him in the balls. She followed up with a punch below his ribs and another to his temple.

Zack let out a choked gurgle; Bella swept his feet from under him, then bolted back down the aisle and vanished into the darkness as Randy came back around the pallet.

“Zack?” He whispered.

Zack moaned in pain, then passed out.

“Holy shit!” Randy said, spotting his companion on the floor.

He immediately whipped the flashlight around, pointing his pistol wherever he shined it.

Bella Beguile was nowhere to be seen.

In another part of the warehouse, Axel followed his boss down another aisle.

He stopped as he heard a whisper of movement behind him; he whirled around.

Nothing.

“Greg. Greg! I heard something!” Axel whispered.

He jumped as her heard a flurry of movement behind him; there were several loud thumps, and Greg grunted in pain, his flashlight’s beam dancing about crazily before hitting the floor.

Axel spun around to see Greg facedown on the floor.

Bella Beguile stood over him, hands on her hips in her favorite power pose, silhouetted in his flashlight.

“Oh fuck!” Axel said, raising his pistol.

Bella’s eyes began to shimmer cobalt blue, and Axel was paralyzed.

She took his gun from his hand, then raised her pocket watch, letting it turn slowly about before his eyes, rather than swinging it.

The hypnotist began an induction, holding him paralyzed in her gaze until he was under.

When he was hypnotized, Bella let her eyes revert back to normal and she sank to her knees, breathing heavily; she was tired and injured, and it took her moment to catch her breath.

Bella rested as long as she dared, then rose to her feet.

“Can you hear me?” Bella asked Axel.

“Yes” he murmured.

“Good boy. Listen closely…” Bella began.

Randy walked nervously through the warehouse, shining his flashlight around, scared shitless that Bella was going to jump out at him.

“Randy! Randy, get over here, we got her!” he heard Axel calling from a few aisles over.

He hurried toward it.

He froze in shock as he came upon a naked Axel, kneeling in the middle of the aisle. Greg was unconscious on the floor behind him.

“What the fuck!” he said in a panic, whirling around.

He came face to face with Bella Beguile.

The costumed hypnotist knocked the pistol from his hand and slammed her knee into his balls. Randy doubled over in pain; Bella grabbed his hair and brought her knee up into his face, then viciously punched him in the side of the head.

Randy dropped to the floor unconscious.

Bella calmly stepped over him and walked purposefully away, disappearing into the shadows.

Outside the warehouse, Megan waited impatiently for her men to return, her high heels clicking on the pavement as she paced circles around the SUV.

Megan let out a yelp of surprise as she rounded the vehicle for perhaps the tenth time, startled to see Bella Beguile casually laying provocatively on the hood of the truck.

“Hello dear,” the hypnotist said sweetly.

“You!” Megan said, fumbling in her jacket for her pistol.

Bella didn’t move; her eyes began to shine as they changed to the much deeper blue of The Serpent’s Gaze.

Megan gasped as she froze, unable to move as hypnotic energy flowed into her.

Bella slid off the hood of the truck and walked right up to Megan, continuing to stare into her eyes.

“I warned you about people who draw my ire,” Bella said coldly.

The hypnotist raised her hand, displaying her enormous sapphire ring.

Megan whimpered.

“Just relax Megan…relax and look at the beautiful sapphire…it really draws your eyes…it is so beautiful the way it reflects the moonlight…keep looking at it and listen to my voice…feel it drawing your eyes to it… you cannot look away,” Bella said firmly.

The hypnotist let her eyes fade back, and smoothly continued her induction.

“You bitch!” Megan said.

The red-haired woman’s eyes were riveted to the beautiful gemstone as she fumbled for her gun.

As Megan drew the weapon, Bella casually knocked it from her grasp with her free hand.

“That’s it, just keep looking at the sapphire…you cannot move, you cannot speak…just keep looking and listening to my voice…looking and listening…looking and listening…relaxing more and more with every word…you are getting sleepy, Megan. Very sleepy…your eyelids are growing heavy…very heavy…” Bella continued smoothly.

She move her hand slightly, making the sapphire sparkle even more.

“No…no, you can’t…can’t hypno…hypnotize me…” Megan protested.

Her eyelids were drooping and she was having difficulty concentrating on what she was saying.

“You are so relaxed…so sleepy Megan…you cannot stay awake…sleep for me…SLEEP NOW!” Bella said forcefully.

Megan mumbled incoherently, then her eyes snapped shut and she wilted to the pavement.

Bella smiled wickedly.

“Megan, you are now deep asleep, and will go even deeper with every word you hear me speak. Nothing will awaken you until I awaken you,” Bella informed her.

The hypnotist left the red-haired woman sprawled on the pavement and walked over to the duffel bag that Megan’s goon had presented to her. Bella was hardly surprised to find it contained stacks of magazines rather than cash. She sighed in exasperation, then went back into the warehouse.

Bella went to the break room, where Shaw and his team waited; they were dressed, sitting quietly at the table under hypnosis.

“Shaw, awake!” Bella said, snapping her fingers.

The handsome mercenary captain blinked and looked at Bella.

“So, did you get her?” he asked.

“I did. She not only lied, but tried to kill me. You and your crew are free to go. Her four goons are in the warehouse, unconscious or hypnotized. They are all yours,” Bella informed him.

“Sounds good. If you’ll wake them up…” Shaw said, nodding at his team.

“Awake, everyone!” she said, clapping her hands.

Shaw’s team came out of their trances; unlike their boss, they had no recollection of Bella or anything that had taken place beyond their earlier card game.

The hypnotist had of course left each of them several carefully-worded post-hypnotic suggestions.

“Listen up, there are four intruders in the warehouse; go grab them and tie them up, put them in the office,” Shaw ordered.

“Yes sir,” Mike said, motioning to the others.

Shaw smiled at Bella as they filed out.

“See, I can make people do things too,” he said with a smile.

Bella laughed.

“Impressive. Shaw, I want to apologize—“ the hypnotist began.

“Forget it, Bella. You were lied to. I’m just glad that this Megan is not as smart as she thinks she is,” Shaw replied.

“No, she isn’t. Thank you, Shaw,” Bella said, smiling.

“Samuel. Sam is fine,” he replied, returning the smile.

“Well, it is nice to meet you Sam. Would you like to be in on punishing Megan?” Bella asked slyly.

“You are damn right I would,” he replied eagerly.

“Consider yourself invited. Let’s exchange numbers, and I will call you tomorrow. I have some injuries to attend to, and I would like to rest up so I can devote my full attention to Megan. I’m sure you need to get some things organized here. Do you mind dealing with her thugs?” Bella asked.

“No problem. Anders is a fine medic, if you would like him to bandage up that arm,” Shaw offered.

“Actually, that would be wonderful,” Bella replied.

Shaw summoned Anders and had him check Bella over. He bandaged her arm and checked to make sure the gunshot to her back wasn’t more than bad bruising.

The hypnotist and the mercenary captain exchanged phone numbers, and Bella gave Shaw a passionate kiss before she departed.

The mercenary watched her sexy, swaying hips and ass as she walked away.

Samuel Shaw had no idea he was now Bella Beguile’s property.